Climate change is the most widespread & complex problem humanity has ever faced! There is no time to waste and we need to turn green talk into profound green action. This is the intention of the GREEN TIMES.

Community wants drinking water and sanitation

Thanks to OXFAM Australia, World Water Day was marked by a memorable Community Dialogue at Woza Moya, rural KwaZulu-Natal’s community-based NGO. People from all over the Ufafa Valley were bussed in for a lovely and productive day.

Woza Moya W.A.S.H. co-ordinator Alan Hofland and field worker Bheki Mchunu, presented the findings of their Survey. This was followed by LIMA Consultants, Taziva Gomo and Nomthandazo Sibisi, giving feedback from their P.R.A done in Ufafa in December 2011.

vigorous discussion ensues

The three breakaway groups, (Ufafa Community Members, Government Officials and Youth) revealed high levels of frustration. Community members were angry about their lack of access to safe and clean water and decent sanitation.

Priorities identified were the need to establish community W.A.S.H. committees that were representative, equipped with the knowledge and technical skills to manage water sources, empowered to liaise effectively with Government or Municipal structures and to act as watchdogs to preserve and protect their own resources.

Dingizwe High School choir had the crowd up on their feet dancing and singing, with their rousing ‘izichathamiya’ and ‘indlamu’! John Nyamayaro the ‘W.A.S.H. man from OXFAM’ encouraged this talented group of young people to start incorporating W.A.S.H. messages into their lyrics!

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Woza Moya became an OXFAM demo site for alternative technologies to harvest and filter rain water using solar pump, grey water, gravity fed drip irrigation, solar geyser, solar lights and so much more. Check out more pics at Woza Moya Project.